Health Policies for Cruise Lines – Not Passengers
In terms of public awareness, the CDC's Vessel Sanitation Progam, in conjunction with the cruise line industry, chooses what information to release to the general public and when. This is especially true during the peak cruising season. The U.S. cruise ship industry is big business estimated at $25 Billion per year, doing approximately 75% of their revenues during the winter months.
By delaying the release of public health information with a negative impact, say by 10 days or so, the general public remains ignorant regarding recent outbreaks on their own cruise ship when they board. Unsuspecting travelers may experience the same projectile vomiting, diarrhea, headache and intestinal cramps as those people that inhabited the same cabin less than four hours after the last sick people have disembarked.
Cruise Data Excluded from these Studies
- Voyage that terminate (disembark) in non-U.S. ports
- Same day voyages (those without an overnight stay).
- Voyages lasting more than 21 days if the CDC does not report them in their database.
Reporting Period Detail
Complete Data Period: 2001-0101 to 2009-0218
Outbreak Data Period: 2001-0101 to 2008-1231
